Speak Now
by I Want To Love You. Let Me
Summary: Someone's getting married, but someone's going to intervene. No H8.


You slip in the side door of the church and hide behind a pillar. It's a really nice church and all, but you know your love wanted something different. You peer around the edge of the pillar and look out at all the people. You guess the theme is spring or Easter, what with all the pastels that everyone is wearing and the decorations. The blonde girl and the pink-haired one giggle as they rave about how pretty everything turned out. You gag. The white dress pants and red silk shirt you're wearing will have to do.

You silently make your way from pillar to pillar, sure that nobody sees you. It seems like you were the only one not invited to this white-veiled occasion. That irks you a little but you brush it aside. It's not the important matter right now.

Finally you find a seat off to the side where you can plainly see the altar. The groom's back is to you but that's okay. He'll be turning around when the time comes. You make yourself comfortable and start toying with the necklace you always wear. You think you can hear the bride yelling in a room somewhere in the back, but you aren't sure.

You drift off into your thoughts and get lost in a daydream where everything goes as you've planned, which would be remarkable, since the idea came to you while you were a bit tipsy and decided what to do later on while you were a bit more drunk.

Suddenly the organ starts playing and you crinkle your nose. It sounds like a death march to be played at a funeral, not a wedding. You stand with the rest of the people and turn to face with anticipation where the bride will be coming from. You want that certain part to come as quickly as possible. After the bridesmaids, the bride appears and begins her walk down the aisle. You can see she's smiling and you glance back at the groom. He's smiling too. You can see the distance between the two growing shorter and shorter. You sigh, and think, "I know you wish it was me at the end of the aisle, don't you?"

At long last, the bride makes it to the front of the church and hands her bouquet of flowers off to her maid of honor. It's that shy girl, the one that stutters all the time. No wonder there, she and the bride were close as student and teacher. The groom smiles as his soon-to-be wife. "Not if I can help it," you think as they both turn towards the altar. It's the hokage performing the ceremony, unusual but not unheard of. All of the older people were good friends with the woman, if not a little afraid of her amazing strength.

You sit with the rest of the congregation that's gathered and zone out a bit during the rest of the service. You only need to hear that one part, and finally it comes.

"If anyone is opposed to the joining of this man and woman as husband and wife," the blonde woman says with authority in her voice, "Speak now, or forever hold your peace."

That won't do for you, forever holding your peace. You have no patience. There's a silence, your last chance and you stand up. A collective gasp ripples through the crowd, and a nervous feeling settles in the pit of your stomach. Your hand trembles and you don't like it; you're not used to feeling so unnerved. "I need to say something." At least your voice comes out strong. You don't know what you'd do if it broke at such a crucial moment. Both bride and groom are looking at you now; there's no turning back, and you take a deep breath.

The hokage nods for you to continue. "I…" You begin and struggle to find the right words. Your eyes are downcast, not wanting to see the reaction yet. "I'm in love with you. We didn't always see things from the same point, but you understood me. I was going to tell you so many times, but I always chickened out. I know this was the worst possible time and place to let you know, but I didn't think I'd have another chance… I'm sorry." You look up and search the bride's eyes for forgiveness. They are brimming with tears unshed and an emotion you don't understand is swirling through them as she stares at you. The groom wrinkles his forehead with confusion. "I don't get it," he says, "I never knew you had such strong feelings towards me."

You glare over at him and snap, "Not everything is about you, Asuma." His eyes widen and his mouth opens; the toothpick he used to replace the ever-constant cigarette drops to the floor. "You mean?" he says in shock. "Yeah, I mean," you confirm his thoughts and glance back at the bride, who is now looking rather dazed. You make your way out of the pew and up towards the altar and stand in front of the pair.

"Kurenai?" you ask. "Are… are you alright?"

She seems to break out of it and answers weakly, "I will be. I- I need to be alone for a little bit, if that's okay." She looks back towards the hokage, who nods in agreement. Slowly, she makes her way up the aisle and finally disappears between the double doors. You had been staring after her and now shake your head to break you out of your reverie, your bangs falling in your eyes, just before someone grabs your shoulders and whips you around to face them. It's the groom. Asuma, you correct yourself, he's not going to be the groom today if you can help it.

"What are you doing, Mitarashi?!" he yells in your face and you're taken off guard. "Why did you do that to me?!" You quickly regain your composure and growl at him.

You bare your teeth in what you've come to find is a very threatening gesture. "Because I love her, and I'll be damned if I have to see her marry you when I had a chance to tell her how I feel. Now, get OFF me," you glare daggers at him and a silver haired man pulls him away from you. You growl once more and turn to run up the aisle to find your love.

You follow the sounds of a woman crying and come to a closed door. You knock softly, "Kurenai?"

"Wh- what?" comes the muffled response and another sob makes its way through the door.

You sigh and rest your forehead on the wood of the door. "I'm sorry for all this. I don't want you to hurt. Please forgive me… I know it's your choice and all, but… I'll be waiting at the back door. For you. If you don't show, I'll understand." You take a deep breath. "I love you," you say and begin to walk away, to go to the back door of the church and wait for her decision. You swear you faintly hear the words, "you too," but it might've been your imagination.

You lean against the cool wall next to the door. It's shady here, and you're thankful for that because it's the middle of the day and you'd hate to wait in the sun. It's been a while, and you're beginning to think she isn't coming, which you'd understand. He's been there, steady, for her, and you've been in and out of her life and only today revealed as a love interest. It makes sense to go with what you can count on. You're hoping she takes a chance this time though. You flip your bangs out of your face for what seems to be the fiftieth time.

You're about to turn and leave when the door bursts open.

"Anko," she breathes and your heart feels as if it will beat right out of your chest. The train of her long white gown is gathered in her arms but she drops it as soon as she sees you. Her face is a little red and her eyes a little puffy, but that doesn't matter, because she's here with you. You love her, and she's beautiful because you do.

"You came," you manage to squeak out. Obviously she did, you berate yourself, mentally slapping your forehead at your inability to be eloquent.

"Yeah," she whispers and draws herself near to you. "I did." She lifts a hand to trace your jaw with her fingertips. You shudder. You never thought she'd touch you so- so gently. Your eyes close to enjoy the moment but open again to ask a question.

"Why?"

"Why what?" she's confused now. "Why did I come?" You nod. "I came because I wanted this, I wanted you." She steps closer once again and her body is nearly flush with yours.

"Kurenai…" you whisper with a shaky breath, "Run away with me." You don't move, and she doesn't either, even her fingers stop moving on your face. For a moment you're afraid she'll reject you for even suggesting that.

She looks into your eyes, and there's that emotion you don't know filling them. "Just let me pack my bag." She smiles and you wrap your arms around her waist and you feel her arms slip up to encircle your neck. She buries her face into the place where your neck and shoulder meet, her warm breath fanning out on your chest. Suddenly you're very glad that the red silk shirt is a buttoned one.

"I love you," you hear yourself say.

You feel her smile against your skin before she pulls back and says, "I love you too." Her eyes flit downward and then back up. You know she was looking at your mouth and you wonder if she wants to kiss you as much as you want to kiss her. Risking to find out, you dip your head slightly and she tilts hers up, inviting you in. Your stomach does flip-flops and your lips are on hers, moving perfectly, slowly but putting so much passion into this one kiss, your first with her and decidedly not the last.

This feeling was unimaginable, as good, if not better than, heaven.

Somewhere in the back of your mind you recognize that the two of you fit together like puzzle pieces. "Meant to be," you think absentmindedly.

You both pull back as your lungs scream for air. Your body seems to be on fire from that simple kiss, your senses hyperactive as you notice every little detail. Kurenai's slightly swollen lips, the heaving of her chest as she gasps for air, the butterfly floating past the pair of you, the heat of the flush on your face. Kurenai's hands still tangled in your hair, your own clutching at her hips. You lean your forehead against her own and close your eyes as you try to calm your racing heart.

"So, when do we leave?" her voice is husky, and you wonder if she felt the same thing.

You smile, "Whenever you want."


End file.
